Saudi Arabia, 17 January 2026 – U23 Vietnam delivered a heroic victory over U23 United Arab Emirates in the quarter-finals of the AFC U23 Asian Cup 2026, securing a place in the semi-finals. Following the match, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) selected two Vietnamese players for post-match doping control.
According to regulations set by Asian Football Confederation, after each match at the U23 Asian Cup, one or two players from each team are randomly chosen for doping tests. This is a standard medical procedure applied at major international tournaments.
For U23 Vietnam, two players—Xuan Bac and Dinh Bac—were selected for doping tests after the group-stage match against U23 Kyrgyzstan. Meanwhile, Nguyen Phi Hoang underwent doping control following the win over U23 Saudi Arabia, despite not playing any minutes in that match.
After the quarter-final victory over U23 United Arab Emirates, AFC again carried out the procedure and selected Thai Son and Le Viktor from U23 Vietnam for doping tests.
Reflecting on the dramatic quarter-final, head coach Kim Sang-sik highlighted the decisive role played by physical fitness and mental strength. “Before extra time, the players were clearly very tired, but I felt our physical condition was slightly better than the opponent’s. That’s why I instructed the team to continue pushing forward. The players fought with great determination and executed the tactical plan very well,” he said.
Coach Kim also explained his key personnel adjustments during the match. “I brought Anh Quan on in the second half to strengthen our defensive coverage on the flanks and limit their crosses, and he completed his task very well. I noticed that some UAE players, especially on the wings, were running out of energy, so I introduced players with speed and physical strength to take advantage of that. The changes proved effective,” he added.
According to Kim Sang-sik, U23 Vietnam’s success is the result of collective sacrifice and relentless effort. “We reached the semi-finals thanks to the sweat, hard work and dedication of the entire team. In the next match, we will continue to prepare carefully, embrace new challenges and push beyond our own limits,” he stated.
Looking ahead to the semi-finals, Kim Sang-sik confirmed that the coaching staff will closely monitor and analyse the quarter-final between U23 Uzbekistan and U23 China to identify Vietnam’s next opponent. “The team is currently in good physical condition. As I said, we will continue to face challenges head-on, overcome our limits, and I believe U23 Vietnam have a real chance to win and advance to the final,” he concluded.
Hai Minh
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